Recently attended FPRS and GT500 Track Attack and would like to get back onto the track with SCCA for starters. Have done a lot of extreme driving in my early and mostly irrisponsible days (1980's) in everyting from ricers to Roadrunners to TransAms. Life, kids, bills, and just getting by got in the way of having money for fun cars, and insurance premiums schooled me to start driving 9 under or less at all times. Pick ups. SUV's and even the much dreaded minivan came and went in replacement of the muscle. Fast forward 35 years, kids are on their own, business is good, and there is some of my kids inheritance to play around with. I bought a 2022 GT500 and its all come rushing back. A couple of days at Charlotte with FPRS and I am now ready to once again get somewhat irrisponsible and jump in with both feet. I still have a level of responisibility and concern for the safety of others that I will not use the public roads the same way I did when I was young. Besides, what used to be a $52.40 ticket is now a jail sentence, and I have too many cars to waste money on huge insurance premiums.
My GT 500 is my garage queen and I really don't want to use it regularly on the track. I would like to purchase another car for that purpose and I have been considering a Mach 1. Finding a Mach 1 available with the handling package is tough and even tougher finding one with the handling package and 6 speed manual. I feel like the 6 speed manual without the hadnling package would be a better play than the automatic with handling package but would like some opinions on that. The FPRS uses modified 2015 5.0's with Tremecs and I really enjoyed everything about those cars and they performed at a level that would fit all my needs now and into the future. I am saying all that to say that I would really appreciate any and all advice on what route I should take. Buy a used 5.0 and have it built out (I am handy with a wrench but not that handy)? Buy a manual Mach 1 without handling pack, delete the back seat bolt in a cage, upgrade the suspension, tires and rims, and run it? Buy an automatic Mach 1 with handling package, delete the back seat add roll cage harness and run it? I feel like the manual is going to be better for me as time goes by and is going to be more durable than the automatic and on top of it, everything I own and have owned for the last 35 years has been automatic and I really want a manual in my life again. I would like to finance the car with my bank to hold back my cash so I need to go with something titled and street legal although I will most likely trailer my track car to the tracks once I have one. That being said I am not buying this car to be a daily and wouldnt hesitate to make any mods necessary for the perfect track car.
Anyway, if anyone feels like chiming in with some advice even if it's critical please do so I could use some help in not making a bad decision and making the best attempt at getting the right car. I am older so I am not a young buck looking to break into racing, just an old guy looking for some adrenaline to keep me going.

Thanks,

CJ